Sri Lanka must do more to rein in hate speech, faith based violence: UN rights experts
Jul 03, 2014, at 06:09 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS): Aiming to stem the tide of violent attacks and recrimination against Sri Lanka’s Muslim and Christian communities, a group of United Nations human rights expertscalled on Wednesday on the Government to adopt urgent measures to stop the promotion of racial and faith-based hatred and end “the atmosphere of impunity†fuelling hate speech and violence by Buddhist extremists.
Iraq: UN officials voice concern about humanitarian situation, abuse of women, girls
Jul 03, 2014, at 06:01 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) Amid reports of deliberate targeting of women and girls in Iraq, senior United Nations officials on Wednesday voiced deep concern about the deteriorating humanitarian and security situations in the country, where more than 1.2 million people have fled their homes in fear for their lives.
UN officials deplore murder of Palestinian boy in Jerusalem
Jul 03, 2014, at 05:55 pm
New York, July 3 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process have both condemned the murder of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem, and called on both Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from exacerbating an already tense situation.
Protection of Pakistan Bill 2014 approved
Jul 03, 2014, at 04:26 am
Islamabad, July 2 (IBNS): Pakistan's National Assembly on Wednesday approved the Protection of Pakistan Bill 2014, media reports said.
Afghanistan: 8 ANA personnel killed in suicide blast
Jul 03, 2014, at 04:24 am
Kabul, July 2 (IBNS) At least eight Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel were killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan's Kabul city on Wednesday, media reports said.
Initial UN report aims to 'reconnect science and policy towards global sustainable development'
Jul 02, 2014, at 03:50 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS) To achieve a sustainable transition by 2050, when more than nine billion people will live on Earth, there needs to be significant adjustment to the current patterns of consumption and production, delegations heard on Tuesday as a United Nations high-level political forum considered a new report aiming to lay the foundation for a new global sustainable development agenda.
Ukraine: UNESCO condemns killing of Russian journalist near Donetsk
Jul 02, 2014, at 03:49 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, condemned on Tuesday the killing of Russian television journalist Anatoli Klian, who was shot to death last night in crisis-torn eastern Ukraine.
Ghanaian Major General appointed to head UN observer mission in India and Pakistan
Jul 02, 2014, at 03:45 pm
New York, July 2 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Major General Delali Johnson Sakyi of Ghana as the head of the United Nations mission tasked with monitoring the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan.
Child rights being violated in conflict situations with total impunity, says UN official
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:26 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS) The rights of children are being violated in conflict situations with total impunity, a United Nations official said on Tuesday, as she presented a report on grave abuses committed against children in places such as Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR).
UN urges 'maximum restraint' as tensions rise after missing Israeli teens found dead
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:24 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS) With tensions mounting in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip following yesterday’s discovery of the bodies of three Israeli teenagers missing since mid-June, the United Nations is on Tuesday calling strongly on all Israelis and Palestinians to exercise maximum restraint and to prevent the situation from worsening further.
UN agencies to assist nearly 500,000 people in Pakistan's Wazirstan area
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:22 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS) United Nations humanitarian agencies and partners are aiding nearly half a million people along the Pakistan-Afghan border, uprooted by a Pakistani offensive against armed insurgents in the North Wazirstan Agency tribal areas.
UN reports Iraqi violence killed more than 2,400 people in June
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:20 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS) Iraq's violent insurgency has claimed some 2,400 lives – more than half of them civilians – a "staggering number", declared the top United Nations envoy there, as he called on all Iraqi leaders to work together to foil attempts to rip apart the country’s fabric.
UN chief condemns explosion in northern Mali
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:17 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned an improvised explosive device explosion in northern Mali which killed a United Nations peacekeeper and injured six other 'blue helmets.'
UN relief officials issue urgent appeal as food shortages hit 800,000 refugees in Africa
Jul 02, 2014, at 06:16 am
New York, July 2 (IBNS): The heads of two United Nations humanitarian agencies on Tuesday issued an urgent appeal as food shortages hit nearly 800,000 refugees in Africa, threatening to worsen already unacceptable levels of acute malnutrition, stunting and anaemia, particularly in children.
No one could have predicted scope of South Sudan crisis, outgoing UN envoy says
Jul 01, 2014, at 03:36 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS) As the top United Nations envoy in South Sudan prepares to complete her tenure, she says that no one could have predicted the horrible conflict that has gripped the world’s youngest nation for the past six months and urged the parties to put the country and its citizens above all else in order to restore peace and stability.
Strongly condemning murder of missing Israeli teens, UN chief urges calm on all sides
Jul 01, 2014, at 03:36 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS): Strongly condemning the murder of three Israeli teenagers abducted in mid-June in the West Bank, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday declared that the perpetrators’ attempts to stoke tensions in the region "must not be allowed to succeed", expressing hope that Israeli’s and Palestinians will work together to uncover the truth.
Iraq: Displaced girls, women face increasing risk of sexual violence, UN warns
Jul 01, 2014, at 03:35 pm
New York, July 1 (IBNS): An estimated 20,000 women and girls in Iraq are at an increased risk of sexual violence as a result of the mounting crisis in northern and western parts of the country, warned the United Nations on Monday, urging immediate action to ensure their protection.
Nigeria: Ban strongly condemns ongoing 'horrific attacks' by Boko Haram
Jul 01, 2014, at 08:50 am
New York, July 1 (IBNS) Strongly condemning the ongoing "horrific attacks" being carried out by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has deplored that such violence has become an almost daily occurrence, and reiterated the readiness of the United Nations to support the country.
New UN forum seeks to set the stage for future global development agenda
Jul 01, 2014, at 08:49 am
new York, July 1 (IBNS): As countries ramp up their efforts to achieve the set of anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of the 2015 deadline, a new United Nations forum seeks to spur them on as well as to help them create the foundation for new global sustainable development agenda.
'Outraged', UN experts urge Egypt to overturn largest confirmed mass death verdict
Jul 01, 2014, at 08:47 am
New York, July 1 (IBNS): The credibility and integrity of the Egyptian justice system has become “deeply compromisedâ€, a group of United Nations human rights experts on Monday said, urging the Government to impose a moratorium on the death penalty and to offer new and fair trials for 183 people whose death sentences have been confirmed.
Palestinians in Syria's Yarmouk camp now without aid for one month: UN
Jul 01, 2014, at 08:46 am
New York, July 1 (IBNS): The United Nations agency charged with ensuring the well-being of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East has warned on Monday that, despite reports of a truce between the Syrian Government and armed groups inside Yarmouk camp, it is still unable to carry out humanitarian operations there.
Facebook under fire over research manipulaing users' emotions
Jul 01, 2014, at 04:30 am
Washington, June 30 (IBNS): Social networking site 'Facebook' has landed itself in a huge controversy after a study revealed that it secretly manipulated the feelings of 689,003 users to understand "emotional contagion".
15 suspected militants killed in Pakistan
Jul 01, 2014, at 03:51 am
Islamabad, June 30 (IBNS): Pakistan on Monday said 15 suspected militants have been killed in ground operation by the country's Army in and around Miramshah area of North Waziristan.
UN chief voices 'grave concern' at deepening crisis in Iraq
Jun 30, 2014, at 04:19 pm
New York, June 30 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday expressed his grave concern at the deepening crisis in Iraq and the rising number of civilian deaths and injuries, with over one million Iraqis having fled their homes due to the fighting.
In final meeting with Israeli President Peres, Ban decries global terrorism
Jun 30, 2014, at 04:12 pm
New York, June 30 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday stood again in solidarity with Israelis after the recent abduction of three students, and decried the use of terrorism in countries in the Middle East and around the world.
Pakistan: Police seize truck with explosives
Jun 30, 2014, at 05:01 am
Lahore, June 29 (IBNS): The police foiled a terrorism bid in Pakistan's Lahore city as they seized a explosive-laden truck, media reports said on Sunday.
Iraq: Security officials, rebels continue clashes
Jun 30, 2014, at 02:19 am
Baghdad, June 29 (IBNS): The crisis in Iraq continued as the country's government forces continued the offensive to retake the Tikrit city from Sunni rebels, media reports said.
Deeply concerned about eastern Ukraine, Ban welcomes extension of cease-fire
Jun 29, 2014, at 05:21 am
New York, June 28 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the extension of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine and, with continued deep concern about the situation there, urged all sides to honour their commitments and work within a political process.
UN refugee agency warns of 'sharp rise' in people fleeing eastern Ukraine
Jun 28, 2014, at 04:09 pm
New York, June 28 (IBNS): Some 16,400 people fled their homes in crisis-riven eastern Ukraine during the past week, bringing the number of displaced within the country to 54,000, according the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Central African Republic: UN supports re-establishment of core public services
Jun 28, 2014, at 02:24 pm
New York, June 28 (IBNS): Amid the ongoing violence in the Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the World Bank, is working hard to re-establish primary public services in the country, such as the payment of civil servant salaries.